“You little brat, you’re not qualified to be a lobbyist.”

"General Jie, as you travel south, you have witnessed the actions of the Liao King's new policies. Under the slogan of equality for all, merchants have forcibly bought up people's fertile land. Strong men can enter the mines and still live a life of ease. Once the fertile land is annexed and controlled by a large number of merchants, I don't need to say more about the consequences. General Jie should understand."

Zhao Shen's words were truly insightful.

Zhao Huan's reforms, which lasted for fifteen years, in a sense only ignited the industrial revolution in the Song Dynasty. Industrialization had not yet arrived; the country was still on the eve of industrialization.

The Song Dynasty remained a major agricultural country.

In reality, the battles fought by Zhao Chen, while ostensibly a result of the Liao King's personal ambition, were actually an expansion of the merchant's power.

But the biggest resource that merchants want to control is still fertile land; they want to acquire land.

Because the mainstream issue in this era is still solving the problem of food.

Fertile land is worth far more than silk and pottery.

By acquiring these hard resources, one gains control over market pricing power.

This way, they can openly exploit the workers who earn a little income from infrastructure projects.

Therefore, some scholars in Tokyo who study the emperor's "The Wealth of Nations" have begun to openly offer suggestions to the government.

What suggestions?

Land nationalization!

People then realized that once commerce opened up, the status of fertile land not only did not decline, but became even more important.

Although Xie Qian was a military commander, he could see the hidden crisis at hand.

Merchants are eagerly acquiring land, and it won't be long before they control the pricing power of grain.

According to the Liao King's logic, if he were to actually take control of Tokyo, the common people would truly face hardship.

But his personality wouldn't allow him to be persuaded by Zhao Shen so quickly.

"Zhao Shen, you should go back."

"Commander Jie, this man is an enemy general, we can't let him go!" Lu Xin said menacingly, his voice sinister.

Zhao Shen bowed to Xie Qian, completely ignoring Lu Xin, and said, "Commander Xie, we'll meet again someday. I hope to visit your home for tea and discussion sometime in the future."

Jie Qian also bowed to him.

After saying this, Zhao Shen quickly left with his men.

Lu Xin was furious: "Jie Qian, you deliberately let the enemy go, what are you trying to do!"

Xie Qian said calmly, "Lu Xin has no respect for his superiors. Men, drag Lu Xin away and give him fifty lashes."

"yes!"

"Jie Qian, how dare you hit me! I am the younger brother of the Imperial Concubine!" The Imperial Concubine he was referring to was Lu Wanqing, and the Emperor he was talking about was none other than Prince Zhao Chen of Liao.

Jie Qian didn't even glance at him.

Lu Xin's personal guards surrounded him, and Xie Qian angrily shouted, "Anyone who dares to lay a hand on him will be punished according to military law!"

Lu Xin's personal guards all chickened out.

These guys are a group of rich young men gathered by Lu Xin, seeking thrills on the battlefield. They would never actually rush to the front lines when the war really starts.

Now that the Yan Yun Army is serious, they immediately cowered, some even their legs went weak.

And so, Lu Xin was dragged off his horse, tied up, and given fifty lashes, which made him cry out for his parents and beat him half to death.

"Jie Qian, I won't let you get away with this! I'm going to report you to His Majesty!"

After the battle was over, Xie Qian's deputy came to report: "Commander Xie, the battle is over. Please give instructions."

"Withdraw the troops and head to Daming Prefecture."

"yes!"

Zhao Shen hadn't gone far. He waited for a day and a night, but Jian Qian didn't come. Only then did he realize that the letter from home had been effective.

When news of Xie Qian's entry into Daming Prefecture reached Taiyuan City, Zhao Chen was furious.

"What is Jie Qian trying to do! Daming Prefecture has already been captured, and my orders to him were to cross the Yellow River!"

Lu Wanqing chimed in, "Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, Xie Qian is plotting a rebellion!"

"What do you mean by that, my dear consort?"

"My people in the army have already sent back the news. Jie Qian met with the messenger from the Imperial Guard and afterwards had Lu Xin beaten with fifty strokes of the military rod!"

Zhao Shen was shocked: "Jie Qian actually intends to betray me!"

"Right now, we should send another general to take over Jie Qian's military power. Let's send Li Chongguang."

Zhao Chen hesitated for a moment. He did not want to send Li Chongguang south. Li Chongguang had killed too many people in Yanyun, which had aroused public resentment. Even many people in his court were dissatisfied with Li Chongguang.

If Li Chongguang were sent south again, the situation would definitely get out of control.

Although Zhao Chen was sometimes slow-witted, he was very clear about this point.

Jie Qian was different. Jie Qian's military discipline was very strict, and he never harmed the people wherever he went.

However, the current situation regarding the removal of the potential threat has become a major uncertainty.

After hesitating for a while, Zhao Chen finally made up his mind and sent Li Chongguang south.

As a result, Li Chongguang began killing people along his way after only a few days of traveling south, and Hedong Road entered its darkest period.

When this news reached Xie Qian, he angrily exclaimed, "Li Chongguang is a traitor to the country and deserves to be torn to pieces!"

The Iron Forest Army, once a glorious unit, committed atrocities on Hedong Road that are so numerous that they cannot be washed away even if one were to jump into the Yellow River.

A few days later, Xie Qian woke up from a nightmare. After waking up, he pondered for a long time and began to worry about all the soldiers of the Yanyun Army.

"We once followed His Majesty the Holy Martial Emperor in his northern expedition against the Jin invaders, and our names are etched in history. The heroic names of our sons are still enshrined in the Shrine of Loyal Martyrs. Now, we have mistakenly joined the rebel army, and we have failed His Majesty the Holy Martial Emperor and the people of the Great Song Dynasty. I fear I am no longer qualified to enter the Shrine of Loyal Martyrs. But! Today, I swear here that even if I am shattered to pieces, I will quell the rebellion!"

After he finished speaking, all the soldiers burst into tears.

When the Song Dynasty suffered this calamity, no one could remain uninvolved.

"This humble general is willing to die alongside Commander Jie!"

After drinking a bowl of wine, Lu Xin and his trusted generals were brought in.

Lu Xin initially cursed loudly, but upon learning that Xie Qian intended to kill them as a sacrifice to the flag, he was terrified and kowtowed repeatedly.

But it was to no avail. Soon, the heads of Lu Xin and his cronies were displayed to the entire army.

Around dawn, the Yan Yun army left Daming Prefecture.

At this very moment, Li Chongguang is having a great time killing people in the north, slaughtering and seizing fertile land along the way.

Unexpectedly, the Yan Yun Army suddenly turned around and launched a counterattack, slaughtering the Tie Lin Army in Handan, leaving countless heads rolling.

The ground was stained red, like a red carpet.

Upon learning this, Li Chongguang was furious. He submitted a memorial to Zhao Chen while simultaneously mobilizing his main army and setting up battle formations, intending to engage the Yan Yun army in battle.

When the news reached Cizhou, Zhao Shen and Lu You were overjoyed. That very day, they led 10,000 imperial guards northward at breakneck speed, launching a lightning-fast sweep of some small towns in the north.

Lu You's tactics were very unique. Li Chongguang's main force was tied down by Xie Qian, leaving the surrounding small cities vulnerable. Now was the time to take them down quickly. After that, they would begin to implement a scorched-earth policy against Li Chongguang.

Just as war broke out between Hedong and Hebei, a piece of news that shocked the Song Dynasty arrived at the post station in the west.

Red tassels fluttered in the wind as the order was given to the cavalry, who carried scrolls and galloped into Kaifeng, shouting all the way: "Edict of His Majesty the Holy Martial Emperor! Edict of His Majesty the Holy Martial Emperor!"